Kayi, the world-class Assassin trained her sword forward. Her opponents were boars, each big enough to be a threat to a bangaa. But at the sight of her gleaming blade and her reputation as the best hunter of her kind, they started running downhill as Kayi gave chase-

"Kayi! Quit playing with your food and put your plate back down!" Lady Mogana snapped sharply. She seemed a bit more agitated and more nervous than usual. "I knew that I should have went to inspect the worm instead of him!" her mother muttered.

Starkin, behind Kayi, nodded and blew ice through his nose.

"Sorry Mother," Kayi said, setting the knife down and forgetting her fantasy of being a fully-fledged Assasin-hunter.

"After breakfasst," Starkin said. "After breakfasst, it will be time for you two to ressume your dutiess with Bruno, I believe."

Kayi forked a few more sausages. Well, it could have been worse than just helping Bruno a bit. "I can't finish the food," Kayi declared, standing up. "Starkin, ya want one?"

The bangaa only gave a wheeze and pointed to his stomach. Kayi again cringed in guilt, forgetting that her guardian had a stomach disorder that only allowed him to eat simple fiberous grain food. "Sorry, Starkin. I forgot."

"Kupo!" Carlos came out of nowhere. "Kupo..." he panted. "Lord's back- I think he needs you!" Carlos yelled, but didn't get to finish. The Lady Morgana was vanished down the hall. Carlos turned to Kayi. "You may want to come too, kupo."

Kayi raced down the hall after the moogle.

"How did this happen?" Her mother's voice echoed down the corridor. She meant it to sound harsh and angry, but it ended up piteous, like a puppy whose playmate's entrails were found hanging on a tree.

"Lady, the worm turned on him when he tried to Capture it or kill it."

"The worm...?"

"Captured, Lady. A valuable creature."

"I see."

Kayi entered the room. The sight sent shivers up her spine and sobs up her throat. Her Hunter father lay on a medical bed, unconcious, unmoving save for his chest, which rose and fell in a ragged manner. He was completely covered in slashes and huge bruises. Kayi stepped forward.

"Mother..?"

"Go away, Kayi." Morgana did not turn around from where she knelt.

Kayi nodded, and stepped just outside the door to eavesdrop.

"So the worm injured him... Will he live?" Her voice never shook.

A nu mou's voice, probably a healer. "Yes, Lady, I believe he will survive. My team is the best of the best, Lady, we can handle anything," he assured her.

"I'll stay."

"Lady, it's best if you take a sleeping drau-"

"I said, I'll stay. If he wakes up... He will need me."

"Understood."

Kayi fled to where Bruno was waiting. The nu mou Alchemist was completely disheveled, and blood covered his face.

"Bruno, what-"

Starkin hobbled in, interrupting. "Go help Bruno. It seems that something has happened."

Bruno was maniacal as he led her down to his laboratory.

"Kayi! Your sister!"

"My sister? What happened-"

"No,Kayalie's safe and happy and COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS to what she has done!" Bruno yelled.

"What? Is it about Father-"

"No! Much, much worse!" Bruno bellowed, slowing his pace so that Kayi could catch up. Starkin's artheritis and muscle disorder had worsened enough so that he did not dare climb down. When they finally reached the lab, he held up a vial, the one that Kayi and Carlos had stolen.

"Remember this?" he demanded.

"Yes, it's the one-"

"I know what you did with it!" Bruno roared. Carlos and Kayi flinched.

"You found out?" Kayi asked in a very small voice.

"Yes, you dipped arrows in it to make love arrows! Like the little love sprite that shoots arrows at one's heart to make you fall in love with the next intelligent at least human-level intelligence you see. That was a special feature I made."

"The love sprite who?" Kayi asked.

"Cupid."

"So, what are we doing kupo?" Carlos asked, totally ignoring the whole story about the Cupid Arrows.

Bruno opened the locked latch to the door. He picked up two objects. One was a quivver, the other was a bow. "Kayalie took the set that you two dipped in my love potion," Bruno explained. There was no mistaking the accusation in his voice. "Your mother clearly is in no state to go- why she loves the Hunter I don't know. So, it's up to you to go on the Great Clan Trek."

"Huh? But we're not part of a clan-"

Bruno waved her off. "Did it ever occur to you two that I have known Starkin when he was a dashing young Warrior? Even before he became a Dragoon? Well, we were clanmates. I tracked down the last remaining still in fighting condition as well as any other kids that want to come." Bruno opened another door. "Never tell a soul about this entrance," he hissed, and dragged Kayi and Carlos straight through a wall.